It’s 7:30am in Antwerp, Belgium, and the morning worktime commute is in full swing at its Central Station. Amid the to-ing and fro-ing of the daily commuters between trains and platforms, a sudden commotion begins in the main hall.
From the speakers in the main hall of the station, Grease is the Word begins playing, and everybody looks around in surprise. A group of three people stand seemingly unaware, then one of them, a man in a hat, breaks away and begins to dance, twisting, spinning, and flipping upside down to the music in the middle of the hall.
People around stop mid-stride, look up from their phones, and point for friends to look as the music switches to Greased Lightnin’ and the man in the hat enlists the help of the two people he had been standing with. The group then expands to five, all dancing in sync to the popular musical track.
The track switches to You’re the One that I Want, with dozens more dancers running in to join the troupe from four corners of the hall. People nearby have stopped what they are doing and are watching in awe. It becomes clear to passersby and those watching – it’s a Grease flashmob! Phones are pulled out as people snap away and record video of the unusual act, and a space forms in the middle of the hall for the performance to take place.
Now it’s Born to Hand Jive, a fast funky rhythm that gets people on the sidelines bouncing and bopping to the beat, making their own hand jive movements. Dozens more dancers stream down from the steps above the hall, young girls and teenagers lining the passageway above moving in time to the tune, as the station is slowly taken over by the flash mob.
The cameras that catch the performance are dotted around, one from bird’s eye view, and several on ground level, catching people’s reactions. Even those formerly hurrying by have stopped to witness the sudden musical number, and a crowd has formed around the edges of the hall.
Even more people – those who looked like observers – run in from the sidelines as We Go Together starts up, and the group moves as one. The flashmob is made up of what look to be regular civilians and workers, blending into the crowds as students, security workers, businessmen, and teachers, coming together to add a little extra sparkle to people’s morning commute.
In all, there were 250 people in the final dancing troupe that dominated the station, quietly and calming dispersing and continuing with their day once the music stopped. But what was it all about?
The Central Station extravaganza was all an effort to draw attention to a musical production of Grease by the company Music Hall in Antwerp. Comprised of musical performers of all ages, their flashmob was a fun and attention-grabbing act to get people interested in the show. They regularly put on all sorts of musicals and performances, so if you’re in town, go and check them out. If this flashmob performance is anything to go by, it looks like it would be a lot of fun.
Watch the full video below!
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